eCommerce Shipping & Fulfillment Blog

Seven inventory and WMS tools for small ecommerce brands, with October 2026 prices, and when a 3PL that brings its own WMS beats buying software.

Seller Fulfilled Prime is open to new sellers. What Amazon requires in 2026 to prequalify, pass the 4-week trial and keep the Prime badge, and what changes when a 3PL ships your Prime orders.

Apparel peak isn't the CPG peak with bigger volume. A peak-readiness checklist, what an apparel-only peak SLA should actually contain, and three ways to stress-test a 3PL's peak claim before you sign.

As an eCommerce business owner will tell you, managing your Inventory can be overwhelming. Aside from the problematic tracking of stock levels, there is also a crucial consideration of the Finished Goods Inventory (FGI) that needs to be taken into account to maximize efficiency and profitability. FGI represents the completed goods or raw materials sitting on warehouse or store shelves and ready for sale. In other words, FGI is those items ready to ship immediately upon receiving orders from customers. Understanding how important it is to have all elements properly managed when dealing with finished goods inventory can be challenging. Still, this blog post will fill you in on everything you need to know about utilizing this key asset within your business.

How long 3PL onboarding takes, what sets the pace, and what a small ecommerce brand needs ready before day one, with published industry ranges and Simpl's own 5–7 day timeline.

Simpl Fulfillment is an Austin TX ecommerce 3PL. SIMPL Automation is a robotics company Home Depot acquired in 2026. Two different companies.

Switching from ShipMonk? Compare Simpl Fulfillment, ShipBob, ShipHero, and Red Stag on pricing, order minimums, and returns handling.

Stock is the finished product you can sell. Inventory is everything you hold to make and sell it, packaging included. Here is how to tell them apart and keep both counts straight.

UPS's size and weight limits, what it won't ship, what it ships only under contract, and the rules for alcohol, perfume, food and liquids.

Seven advantages of using a 3PL for ecommerce brands: Simpl's per-order pricing, carrier costs built into the rate, and the hours back to run the business.

Shopify Fulfillment Network is now a free app that connects your store to partner 3PLs such as Flexport. Here's how it works, what it costs, and when a direct 3PL is the better fit.

8 Shopify order management tools for small brands, with prices checked October 2026, plus how to tell whether you need an OMS at all.

Twelve 3PLs for founder-led DTC brands in 2026, with each provider's published minimum, how it prices, who it fits and what to ask before you sign.

An 8-point audit to run against your current 3PL before Q4 — leading with the pricing and capacity questions generic checklists skip, so you know whether to stay, fix, or switch while there's still time to move.

USPS Ground Advantage vs Priority Mail after the July 2026 price change: retail and commercial rates side by side, plus which service wins for six order types.

Ecommerce fulfillment is how an online order gets from your inventory to the customer's door: receiving, storing, picking, packing, and shipping. Here is what it includes, the three models brands use, and how to know when to outsource.

The Supreme Court struck down IEEPA tariffs in 2026, and CBP's new CAPE process lets importers claim refunds on what they overpaid. Here's how the refund works, who can file, and what's still not refundable.

Are you ready to grow your eCommerce business? If so, then you've got to get serious about finding ways to reduce waste and increase profits. One great way to do both of these things at once is by using a perpetual inventory system. Read on as we explain what this means and how it can help your bottom line!

A step-by-step FBA prep checklist: FNSKU labeling, category packaging, bundling, and shipment creation, so your inventory clears Amazon's receiving without a fee or a hold.

Order accuracy is the share of orders you ship with no errors, and one of the first metrics to check when evaluating a 3PL. Here is what it means, what a good rate looks like, and how to judge a provider's claim.

For years, eBay has been serving customers. It is recognized as one of the most popular eCommerce platforms, where you can trade various products. However, there are different factors that you need to consider, and listed below are some of them.

Most 3PLs aren't built for small businesses. Here's how five fulfillment providers compare on pricing, minimums, integrations, and order flexibility.

If you are a business owner who has recently created an eCommerce store, learning how to effectively manage your inventory is key. A SKU (Stock-Keeping Unit) plays an important role in helping you keep track of item stock amounts, pricing and other product details for each item in your store. Understanding what a SKU is and learning how to make them for your own unique needs will help you not only stay organized but also increase the efficiency of managing multiple products within your store. In this blog post, we'll cover the basics of SKUs and provide tips on how to create them for your eCommerce business.

In the fast-paced world of e-commerce, managing backorders effectively is essential for meeting customer expectations and maintaining customer satisfaction . Understanding the concept of backorders and the reasons behind their occurrence i...

It is effortless for a consumer to go ahead and place an order over popular eCommerce sites. And they expect the product to reach them in the given time estimate. It is so easy to remember and receive the order, but the process within the back-end is quite complex to fulfill each of those orders. There are many steps that the order undergoes before the entire shipping process is completed. It might not be necessary for a usual consumer to understand the involved procedures. But it is crucial to understand those steps, to get an idea about what your order goes through during the entire processing phase.

In the ever-evolving realms of retail and e-commerce, one concept that often pops up is 'backordered,' a term that might stir up confusion and frustration among customers anticipating their purchases. Understanding backorders is crucial fo...

Ten criteria for choosing a 3PL in 2026, what a strong answer sounds like on each, and a weighted scorecard to compare providers before you sign.

Amazon's DSP program is not a franchise. Expect about $10K to start, $30K in liquid assets, a full-time owner, and an application review that can take months.

Discover how USPS Ground Advantage is revolutionizing eCommerce shipping with cost-effective rates, reliable delivery, and convenient features. Learn about the benefits, requirements, and how to save on shipping costs with this game-changing service.

As an FBA (Fulfilled by Amazon) seller, one of your main goals is to ensure a seamless customer experience by always having the products your customers want in stock and ready to ship. Stockouts can be detrimental to your business, leading...

Scarcity is a fundamental concept in economics that has a significant impact on pricing in various markets. By understanding the concept of scarcity and its relationship with pricing, businesses can develop effective strategies to navigate...

Discover key supply chain visibility benefits that boost e-commerce growth. Learn how to cut costs, enhance customer loyalty, and build a resilient business.

Which USPS service to buy depends on what you are holding and how soon it has to arrive. USPS lists six classes of mail, but the services an ecommerce shipper actually buys are a shorter list.

For USPS, Puerto Rico is domestic mail with no customs form. Domestic does not mean report-free. What changes for a mainland ecommerce order: the zone you are billed at, the urbanization line on the address, a federal export filing above $2,500 per Schedule B class, and Puerto Rico's sales and use tax.

The best 3PL companies for ecommerce in 2026, compared: ShipBob, Red Stag, ShipMonk, Simpl Fulfillment, and more. Pricing starts at $7/order.

When managing inventory and forecasting customer demand, fill rate is one of the key metrics used in determining a business's success or failure. The fill rate tells us what percentage of customer orders are satisfied with items in stock. It helps provide insight into how well your company is meeting customer needs and expectations regarding product availability, which directly impacts sales and overall profitability. We will explore this important KPI in greater detail – from what fill rate means to how you can measure it – to ensure you always keep your customers coming back for more.

USPS retired First-Class Package Service, Retail Ground and Parcel Select Ground in July 2023 and folded them into Ground Advantage. This guide maps each old class name to its current USPS service, gives the delivery window USPS publishes for each, and lists retail and commercial starting prices effective July 12, 2026.

A carrier facility is a sorting hub that shipping networks route packages through, so an "arrived at carrier facility" update on Amazon tracking reads as your package having reached one of those hubs on the way to you — a routing stop, not your final delivery point. Here's how to read the status against your estimated delivery date and when a stall is worth acting on.

This guide groups 3PL fee structures into eight cost categories to normalize different vendors' labels and line items for comparison. Here is how to read a quote, which charges are easy to overlook, and how Simpl's flat-rate pricing compares. Built for DTC brands shipping 50 to 5,000+ orders a month.

Amazon FBA packaging requirements by product type: poly bag rules and suffocation labels, fragile and oversize prep, box size and weight limits, and case-pack specs, organized by category so you can check your products fast.

A 3PL cost breakdown for eBay sellers: bundled vs unbundled pricing, eBay's own fulfillment attempts, a provider comparison, and how to switch without hurting your metrics.

CDL Last Mile is a family-owned regional carrier delivering across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. How to track a CDL package, whether USPS is involved, and how to contact CDL.

USPS does not assign addresses. Your local government does, then reports it to USPS. Here is how to confirm a new address made it into the USPS database, and what to do if it did not.

"End of day" means the carrier committed to a day, not an hour. Typical UPS, FedEx, and USPS delivery windows, plus which services carry a real money-back guarantee, sourced from the carriers and dated.

USPS delivery times explained: Understand when mail arrives, factors affecting schedules, and how to plan for timely shipments. Maximize your postal knowledge.

USPS Flat Rate box and envelope prices effective July 12, 2026, at retail and commercial, with inside and outside dimensions, what is included, and a break-even table showing when paying by weight and zone is cheaper.

Domestic shipping is the carriage of goods or passengers within the boundaries of a single country. It is often used when referring to shipments made by common carriers such as trucks, trains, and boats. Domestic shipping can be used for both personal and commercial purposes. Whether you're sending a package to a friend or business associate, there are several different ways to go about domestic shipping. Let's take a closer look at your options!

Customers always demand more when it comes to receiving packages soon. Due to this reason, it is a good idea to opt for overnight shipping. It helps to maintain a competitive advantage; however, it should be affordable. Therefore, you can choose UPS Next Day Air Saver as it is quite a cost-effective option.